Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-12-09

w. :" Wv Va Weeu SO tnat they
formed at the bottom Of the pit solid
mass almost as large as my closed
hand. Such ball must representmany
thousands, yet all are friends or ac-
qualntances. 1t is said that Napoleon
knew all his soldiers, but here are ants
That undoubtedly have less to distin-
gnlsh them than human beings, that
recognize untold thousands constituting
their tribe.
That this is so 1 have often demon
strated by dropping among them an
ant to all intents and purposes alive,
but from another nest. The recogni-
ton OF stranger is immediate, and the
intruder is at once attacked and either
killed or driven out. In nest near
my house the ants from frequent visi-
tat'ons became extremely savage and
would at once attack newcomer. One
day dropped huge iron-jawed black
ant in among them. In second it was
selzed by legs and antennn by rs many
OF the furious hostas could crowd about.
AT first the giant struggled, then finding
escape impossible he began leisurely
destroying his tormentors, every move
ment OF the ponderous jaws resulting in
the decapitation of a victim, until finally
he actually secured his release.
As in nests OF Formica pratensis it
has been estimated that there are often
half million individuals, it is evident
that the memory Of the ant is remark
able. Some interesting experiments
may be tried to prove that friendship
exists between ants and that old &C.
quaintances are not forgotten. If an
ant from certain nest is taken away
and kept for a day or. so and then
dropped among the rest with a stranger
it is not molested, but the stranger will
be found soon after badly used if not
dead.
The length Of time that ants will re-
member friends has been determined in
an interesting series Of experiments by
Sir John Lubbock. In August 1876,
he separated a colony Of Formica fusca
which he had kept for some time.
Eight months later he took one Of the
ants and q stranger and placed them in
the old colony. The long-absent ant
seemed perfectly at home and was not
disturbed, while the other was immedi-
ately attacked. len months after the
original separation he returned another
old friend and stranger. The latter
was at once seized by the antennn and
dragged from the nest while the former
was not molested, though it was noticed
that it did not mingle freely with the
family. This experiment was repeated
many times, the returned ant being
marked with paint SO as to be distin-
guished, and not only was it unmolested
but it's old acquaintance insisted upon
removing the paint. Sir John con-
cludes his experiments with the follow
ing:
Friends were in most cases amicably
received even after more than year Of
separation; but while the strangers
were invariably attacked and expelled
the friends We're not always recognized
at least at first 1t seemed as if some
OF the ants had forgotten Them or per-
haps the young ones did not recognize
them. Even, however, when the
friends were at first attacked the ag-
gressors soon seemed to discover their
mistake, and friends were never ulti-
mately driven out Of the nest. This
recognition of old friends after sepa-
ration Of more than year seems to me
very remarkable. Hide -4avake